Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius spoke on the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit and on Georgia’s EU integration process on November 13, during his doorstep statement ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council - a gathering of EU foreign ministers - in Brussels.

The Lithuanian Foreign Minister said he believed the European Union “should continue with the same logic [that] we agreed – that every country should be treated individually,” and that “we should be ready to give more to those who are ready to accept more, in all aspects, and definitely move ahead.”

Linkevicius also noted that “Georgia is doing quite well” and “is on a good track,” despite “facing problems back at home because of tensions - 20 percent of territory is still occupied, and we understand what that means.” He, however, added that Georgia “should move ahead, and I believe we have to help them.”

Linkevicius said he would like to see in the EaP summit declaration “as much [political support] as possible, especially in terms of the perspective of these countries on where they are heading,” but added that, regardless of the final wording, “we all understand that rapprochement with the European Union continues,” citing their visa free regimes with Schengen countries and association agreements with the European Union.

The Minister also recognized there were “difficulties” among the EU member states in reaching consensus over the issue of their European perspective, but stressed that “we should definitely keep moving,” and “be ready when political consensus will come.”